Monthly Archives: August 2016

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1952 Aston-Butterworth Grand Prix Monoposto

Offered by Bonhams | Goodwood, U.K. | September 10, 2016

Photo – Bonhams

For starters: no, this car has nothing to do with Aston Martin. The Aston-Butterworth was the project of Bill Aston. He started with a Cooper Mark I chassis and then used an engine from Archie Butterworth to create this Formula 2 racer. Remember, about this time, Formula 2 was the formula used for the World Championship, like modern Formula 1.

Butterworth’s engine is a 2.0-liter flat-four that makes 140 horsepower. Aston raced one of the cars himself, and built a second (this car) for Robin Montgomerie-Charrington who DNF’d at the 1952 Belgian Grand Prix after running in the top 10.

This car passed through a couple of owners before being bought at auction in 1999 and completely restored in 2004. The current owner acquired the car in 2014 and actually got to use it in a few historic events. This car, one of two from a little-known Grand Prix team should bring between $79,000-$100,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams in Goodwood.

1906 Brasier 15HP Side-Entrance Tonneau by Vedrine

Offered by Bonhams | Beaulieu, U.K. | September 3, 2016

Photo – Bonhams

The Brasier marque began in 1902, after Charles-Henri Brasier quit his job at Mors and went into business with Georges Richard as Richard-Brasier. Richard jumped ship in 1905 to found Unic, leaving Brasier a standalone make beginning in 1905. The company lasted until 1931, having been known as Chaigneau-Brasier from 1926.

This car is from the second year of Brasier production and it is both big and quite nice. It’s powered by a four-cylinder engine making 14 horsepower, powering the rear wheels via shaft drive. This car was shipped from the U.S. to the U.K. in the 1980s and was restored by the current owner, likely in the 1980s.

The pre-sale estimate on this car is $52,000-$77,000. Cars from other manufacturers of similar size and vintage can go for many times this amount, making this a good, usable car at a decent price. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

1950 Frazer Nash Le Mans Replica

Offered by Bonhams | Goodwood, U.K. | September 10, 2016

Photo – Bonhams

I feel like every time we feature one of Archibald Frazer-Nash’s spectacular automobiles, we have to have the conversation about the word “replica.” In this case, replica refers to a production vehicle modeled after an actual race car the company built. In this case, Frazer Nash built a car for the 1949 24 Hours of Le Mans. Because it was successful, they built a run of similar cars for customers.

This example, with known ownership history from new, was first sold in the U.K. in 1950. It is powered by a 2.0-liter straight-six from Bristol making 125 horsepower. One owner has had this car for over four decades. At one point in time, it was owned and raced by famed driver Roy Salvadori.

This was the 20th of 34 built. Frazer Nash only built about 85 cars after WWII, with this model being the most popular. With pre-war production included, Frazer Nash output was only about 400 cars. Not a large amount. But they are among the best of the breed – true sports cars. This example – which is all original – should bring between $760,000-$840,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Now we move into Monterey and all of the Pebble Beach car craziness. We’ll start with Bonhams and their top seller, the Bugatti Type 51 Grand Prix for $4,000,000. Other million dollar sales included a previously-featured Duesenberg for $1,254,000, the Mercedes-Simplex for $2,805,000, and the LaFerrari for $3,685,000.

Other sales included the Studebaker-Garford for $126,500 and a previously-featued Delaunay-Belleville for $450,000. The best-bought car of the sale (and thus far, the entire weekend), was this 1908 Fuller that someone practically stole for $11,000. I wish I would’ve been there because that thing would currently be in my garage. Click here for more results.

Now we move across town to Mecum’s Monterey sale. The top seller here was a 2014 Ferrari LaFerrari for $4,700,000 – over a million more than the one Bonhams sold. Either the atmosphere of Mecum’s sale got two people over-hyped and one of them overpaid (though, in five years, this will likely seem like a bargain) or the fact that Bonhams was unable to get their LaFerrari to cross the stage costed them a lot of money.

Another Monterey auction was that of RM Sotheby’s and they boasted the weekend’s biggest dollar value sale with $21,780,000 for the 1955 Jaguar D-Type that won the 1956 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Other big money cars included the Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B for $19,800,000 and the first Shelby Cobra for $13,750,000. All three of these sales are world records – the Jaguar for most expensive British car; the Alfa for most expensive pre-war car; and the Cobra for most valuable American car. Pretty impressive.

1908 Clyde 8/10HP Silent Light Roadster

Offered by Bonhams | Beaulieu, U.K. | September 3, 2016

Photo – Bonhams

Clyde is a very interesting automobile manufacturer from Leicester that was founded by George Wait as a bicycle manufacturer in 1890. Automobiles came in 1901. Remarkably, by the time the company closed up shop in 1930, only about 260 cars had been produced.

This car is powered by a twin-cylinder White & Poppe engine and was owned by the company founder in the 1950s. It was restored in the early 1960s an then put on display in a museum from 1962 through 2003, when it went to America. Now it’s back in the U.K., having covered only about 100 miles since its restoration. It is one of three Clydes known to exist and should bring between $26,000-$39,000. Click here for more info.

1904 Garrard Suspended Forecar

Offered by Bonhams | Beaulieu, U.K. | September 3, 2016

Photo – Bonhams

While this car is technically being sold as a restoration project, it is still very interesting. Charles Garrard started importing Clement engines from France in 1902. His idea was to attach them to tricycle frames and build Forecars, a popular, if not dangerous, style of transport in England in the day (nothing like having your passenger be your front bumper!).

They were originally called Clement-Garrards, until 1904 when he dropped the Clement part. Garrard ceased production shortly thereafter, making this 1904 model very rare. This tricar is powered by a four horsepower v-twin and should sell for between $21,000-$31,000. Click here for more info.

Five Pre-1920 Cars

Offered by Bonhams | Beaulieu, U.K. | September 3, 2016

1913 Chalmers Model 17 36HP Five-Passenger Tourer

Photo – Bonhams

Chalmers was formed in 1908, sort of, when Hugh Chalmers bought out ER Thomas from Thomas-Detroit. Early cars were badged Chalmers-Detroit, before becoming just Chalmers in 1911. The marque lasted through 1924 after merging with Maxwell in 1922. This merged company is known today as “Chrysler.”

The 1913 Model 17 was the mid-range model, offered in six body configurations with the Five-Passenger Tourer being the least expensive at $1,950. It is powered by a 36 horsepower straight-four. This example was imported into the U.K. in 2005 and mechanically restored shortly thereafter. It’s a runner and driver, with a lot of original pieces left, like the interior. It should sell for between $26,000-$32,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $39,879.

1908 Clyde 8/10HP Silent Light Roadster

Photo – Bonhams

Clyde is a very interesting automobile manufacturer from Leicester that was founded by George Wait as a bicycle manufacturer in 1890. Automobiles came in 1901. Remarkably, by the time the company closed up shop in 1930, only about 260 cars had been produced.

This car is powered by a twin-cylinder White & Poppe engine and was owned by the company founder in the 1950s. It was restored in the early 1960s an then put on display in a museum from 1962 through 2003, when it went to America. Now it’s back in the U.K., having covered only about 100 miles since its restoration. It is one of three Clydes known to exist and should bring between $26,000-$39,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.

1909 Briton 7HP

Photo – Bonhams

The Briton Motor Company was based in Wolverhampton and was founded as an offshoot of the Star Cycle Company under the direction of Edward Lisle, Jr. The first cars appeared in 1909 and the marque lasted through 1928, although it was dormant for a few years in between.

Among the first models the company produced was the 7HP “Little Briton” – a seven horsepower, twin-cylinder runabout that seats two. It was a light car and it was cheap. Only five of these remain and this is the oldest, having been delivered new to Ireland. Forty years ago it was stashed in a barn and only discovered again in 2015, when it was restored to running condition and refurbished as needed. It should bring between $21,000-$26,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.

1904 Garrard Suspended Forecar

Photo – Bonhams

While this car is technically being sold as a restoration project, it is still very interesting. Charles Garrard started importing Clement engines from France in 1902. His idea was to attach them to tricycle frames and build Forecars, a popular, if not dangerous, style of transport in England in the day (nothing like having your passenger be your front bumper!).

They were originally called Clement-Garrards, until 1904 when he dropped the Clement part. Garrard ceased production shortly thereafter, making this 1904 model very rare. This tricar is powered by a four horsepower v-twin and should sell for between $21,000-$31,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.

1914 Rochet-Schneider 12HP Limousine by Allignol

Photo – Bonhams

Rochet-Schneider was a French automobile marque – and by the time this car was built in 1914, it was already a very old one. Edouard Rochet and Theophile Schneider joined forces (as did their families’ legacy businesses) in 1894 to produce automobiles. Production would last through 1932.

This car has known history back to 1954 and was restored in the late 1990s (with the exception of the interior). It is powered by a 12 horsepower, 2.6-liter engine, capable of long distances at 40 mph. While French cars of this era aren’t the most powerful or the fastest, this model, with Limousine coachwork by Allignol, is rather imposing. It should bring between $23,000-$28,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

1913 Chalmers Model 17 36HP Five-Passenger Tourer

Offered by Bonhams | Beaulieu, U.K. | September 3, 2016

Photo – Bonhams

Chalmers was formed in 1908, sort of, when Hugh Chalmers bought out ER Thomas from Thomas-Detroit. Early cars were badged Chalmers-Detroit, before becoming just Chalmers in 1911. The marque lasted through 1924 after merging with Maxwell in 1922. This merged company is known today as “Chrysler.”

The 1913 Model 17 was the mid-range model, offered in six body configurations with the Five-Passenger Tourer being the least expensive at $1,950. It is powered by a 36 horsepower straight-four. This example was imported into the U.K. in 2005 and mechanically restored shortly thereafter. It’s a runner and driver, with a lot of original pieces left, like the interior. It should sell for between $26,000-$32,000. Click here for more info.

1937 Horch 853 Stromliniencoupe

Offered by Bonhams | Paris, France | September 3, 2016

Photo – Bonhams

The 853 is the grandest car that August Horch’s company ever produced. It was also one of the last models that the original, pre-war, Horch marque produced – even though they had already become a part of Auto Union five years prior to this car’s introduction in 1937.

The 853 is powered by a 4.9-liter straight-eight making 100 horsepower. They weren’t the most powerful or fastest cars of their day, but with the right coachwork, they could compete, beauty-wise, with the likes of the Mercedes-Benz 500/540K. This car sports a very fancy streamlined coupe body – a style that is not seen often.

But that’s partly because Horch cars aren’t seen that often to begin with. This car spent its post-war life in Belarus and the Ukraine until 2005 when it was restored in Germany. It is likely to be one of those rare European cars that makes waves at Pebble Beach sometime in the future and everyone will wonder where it came from and where it has been hiding all these years. Well here’s your chance to grab it – for a cost between $670,000-$1,000,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

1957 Townsend Typhoon Mk II

We’ve featured another car called “Typhoon” from the same era as this one – but that one was British and this car was built by Frank Townsend of Tucson, Arizona during the fiberglass sports car craze of the 1950s. The first Typhoon was based on a ’49 Plymouth and was actually built by Townsend while in high school.

The second car was dubbed the Typhoon Mark I. A second one was later built (this car), that was originally a Mark I, but once the fenders behind the front wheels were cut away and the front end redone, they renamed it “Mark II.” It is powered by an Oldsmobile V-8.

It had a period race history in the NHRA and SCCA and is known as the “Purple People Eater.” Frank Townsend only managed to sell two additional Typhoon bodies after this car, putting total Townsend production at five cars – and they are all a little bit different. Fully restored and eligible for historic racing events, this car should bring between $150,000-$200,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.